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SECRET TALENT: My interest in fishing took me down a path of custom rod building back in the early 1980's. I’ve built roughly 500 custom fishing rods since then. For some customers, a low key and strictly functional design, to some with specific designs, like a few Wisconsin Badger theme rods for UW alumni. Also, the “cool half” of my basement, known as “The Bass Lab”, is basically a mini fishing lure factory. Here I create all kinds of wood, lead, tin, and soft plastic fishing lures. I still do consulting work and writing for the largest company in the US that supplies jig and soft-plastic lure molds for the do-it yourself lure making hobbyists.
CLAIM TO FAME: I’ve been involved in the fishing education and fishing tackle business for 40 years. I wrote the weekly Thursday fishing report for The Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel for 31 years. I have also written for magazines such as The In-Fisherman, Musky Hunter, Fishing Facts, Wisconsin Outdoor News, and Badger Sportsman. I currently write two monthly columns for Midwest Outdoors and have been writing for them for 29 years. I’ve done product development and design for lure companies such as Mepps and Storm Lures. I also owned my own Musky lure company for 13 years.
OBLIGATORY CONSTRUCTION FACTOID: My path into construction started when I went to Milwaukee Tech High School where I studied in their three-year architecture program. During my senior year, my design teacher picked two of the architecture students to enter a yearly statewide design competition. That year’s project was a new aquarium facility slated to reside at the Milwaukee lakefront where Veterans Park currently exists. I was chosen to represent the school and eventually won the competition out of 600 entries and was awarded a full scholarship to MSOE. From there and for the next 35 years I have worked in the construction industry in either a project manager or estimator role. I most enjoy the creative trouble shooting aspect of the construction process.
CONTEMPLATIVE THOUGHT OF THE DAY: If you haven’t heard me say this already, the phrase “if you chase five rabbits, you will catch none” is a belief of mine. It reminds me and keeps me focused on finishing a project or goal. I have also lived and believed that “you will never be wrong if you always take the high road”. Treat people fair and honest and that will shine back on you in the future.
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